Tesco To Use Face Detection Technology For In-Store Advertising

TinTops writes "Tesco has sparked privacy concerns following its decision to install technology that scans shoppers' faces in order to display video advertising on screens at its petrol stations. The UK's privacy watchdog the ICO is looking into the technology. This is the first national rollout of the system, known as OptimEyes, which claims to recognize facial characteristics that determine a customer's gender and age in order to show more relevant video adverts on screens as they queue at the till. Simon Sugar, chief executive of Amscreen, the firm which sells the technology, has admitted it has connotations of science fiction, but is looking to increase its reach further. 'Yes, it's like something out of Minority Report, but this could change the face of British retail and our plans are to expand the screens into as many supermarkets as possible,' he said."

Comments

Frost

[Hognoxious]

With a face like mine, I don't expect to see adverts for condoms.

Re:sensationalism

[gstoddart]

This is not facial recognition attached to a database of faces.

Not yet.

And in an age of big data and massive government surveillance, I have little faith it won't be before long.

You either need to pass laws concerning it now, or in 5 years (or less) what you say isn't happening will be common place and it will be too late.

Old Mo had it right....

[SteveAstro]

And they wonder why people wear Burquas.
Mohammed, at the cutting edge of the consumer fight back

Cacklings of a Supervillain

[GameboyRMH]

Simon Sugar, chief executive of Amscreen, the firm which sells the technology, has admitted it has connotations of science fiction, but is looking to increase its reach further. 'Yes, it's like something out of Minority Report, but this could change the face of British retail and our plans are to expand the screens into as many supermarkets as possible,' he said."

That is the worst-failed attempt at reassurance I've ever read 8-(

Re:phillip K dick

[cayenne8]

So....everyone just needs to start getting out of the car to pump their gas at these stations with a mask on!!

:)

Everyone wear the same mask, maybe the Guy Fawkes (sp?) mask, and that way really fsck with the ad database by having the same ad shown to everyone at all times...that should really skew the stats.

Shell gas stations, usa, ca. 2008

[TigerPlish]

A Shell station I used to go to at another job had brand new pumps installed in 2008. These "new" and "improved" pumps would start playing ads the second you took the nozzle off the cradle and started pumping.

Result? I haven't been to that station in 7 years. To hell with intrusive adverts to a captive audience.

Boycott the store, people. Don't buy there. There is no greater "fuck you" to a merchant than an empty till and a competitor's store full of what used to be your own customers.